What is it?

It is the latest Porsche 911 to wear the historic Rennsport badge (sticker) and therefore one of the most eagerly anticipated cars of 2015. The engine in this new GT3 RS displaces the same as the iconic Mezger engine in the 997 GT3 RS 4.0-litre (3996cc) and puts out identical power and torque figures of 493bhp and 339lb ft.

Technical highlights?

There will be a full breakdown of all the wonderful lightweight, aero and high-tech details of the new RS in issue 211 of evo, but here are a few examples: The crankshaft is made from the same multiple remelt tempered steel as the crankshaft in the 919 Hybrid race car. The roof is made of magnesium that is just 1mm thick, saving 1.1kg over a standard Aluminium roof and 800g compared to a carbon roof. The vents on the (carbon) front wings of the car increase downforce over the front axle by a claimed 30 per cent and the car as a whole is said to produce 80 percent of the downforce generated by the 991 GT3 Cup car.

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Video review

Watch evo's Henry Catchpole deliver his first impressions on the GT3 RS below.

Video of Porsche 911 GT3 RS | evo REVIEW

We've also taken the 911 GT3 RS on an incredible early morning drive. Listen to the sights and sounds of the amazing new car below.

Video of Porsche 911 GT3 RS dawn raid | evo DIARIES

What’s it like to drive?

The car was launched at the inordinately fun yet extremely demanding Bilster Berg circuit in Germany. The numerous crests (there is one that makes Laguna Seca’s corkscrew look like child’s play), compressions and cambers could and should unsettle a 911 horribly, yet the RS is staggering in its stability and in the confidence it inspires. With the same huge wheels and tyres as the 918 Spyder, not to mention the wider front and rear axles courtesy of the engorged Turbo body, the new RS has simply monstrous amounts of grip.

The turn-in grip is staggering, the grip and poise under braking (even trail braking) is ridiculous. And yet while talk of huge grip can sometimes feel negative and dull, in the case of the RS it simply translates to breathtakingly exciting agility (and speed). You still have to drive it like a rear-engined car, you still enjoy the unique balance and the terrific traction inherent in a 911, it’s just that you feel like you can take previously untold liberties. Sadly we were under strict instructions not to turn the ESP off on the track, but thankfully they didn’t mention anything about doing the same on the road and on a few quiet corners it was clear that if you do manage to unstick the Michelin Cup 2s the RS won’t hang you out to dry, remaining supremely precise and controllable over the limit.

The GT3 RS’s engine has its red line at 8800rpm compared to 9000rpm in the GT3 and although the screaming top end is still very definitely worth reaching for you don’t get that final 500rpm banzai flourish. However, the trade-off is that the RS’s acceleration feels stronger from lower down the rev range, giving a greater sense of flexibility and muscularity that is much closer in feeling to the old Mezger engine.

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With outright performance a priority in the GT3 RS it’s no surprise to find a PDK ‘box the only option and while we still miss the interactivity of a third pedal and a manual gearlever, there can be no complaints about the way PDK goes about its business. Shifts are ruthlessly fast, yet so clinically smooth that they never unsettle the car and the excitement of a full-bore upshift punching through and sustaining the onward rush almost seamlessly, is something I think it would take a long time to get bored of.

Perhaps the biggest surprise, however, is how well all this translates to the road. With the lateral grip that it can generate you might think it would be simply too fast to enjoy on the road, but that isn’t the case. Certainly if you drive it to its limits you are going ludicrously fast, however it is still a rewarding car at legal speeds because of the way the whole car talks to you. With the clonks from the rose-jointed suspension, more noise reaching you from the engine and the immediacy of all the controls you feel constantly in touch and involved as the RS travels down the road.

The electric power assisted steering has taken another leap on too, giving much more textural feedback to your hands and certainly in the dry conditions we had you really can’t pick holes in it. Given the alacrity of the chassis responses to inputs I also think the smaller 360mm diameter wheel (also from the 918) is a good match. Even the ride was perfectly acceptable in the softer of its two settings, actually feeling marginally better than the standard GT3 I drove in the UK a week earlier.

How does it compare?

The obvious rival is the Ferrari 458 Speciale, although the Ferrari costs over £50,000 more even if you spec your GT3 RS with carbon brakes. Both have very different characters, the Porsche feeling like the more serious track tool, while the Ferrari is more exuberant and playful.

Both are brilliant. Arguably the RS’s biggest rival comes from within its own Stuttgart stable, in the slightly less aggressive shape of the standard GT3. If you can afford one, however, the RS is undoubtedly worth the extra £30,000, not just for the added hardware, but because for all its extra performance the usability seems largely unaffected.

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Anything else I need to know?

As ever, the Club Sport pack, which includes a half roll cage (plus the fixings for a full cage) and fire extinguisher, is standard. Air con and a radio are also standard on this 991 GT3 RS, but like the Club Sport pack, they can be deleted at no cost. We don’t usually talk about colours, but in our opinion Ultra Violet (Purple) is definitely the one to go for.

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Comments

Why Porsche chose to tell not to turn the ESP off on the track. Is it just an safety issue ? I'm bit surprised to hear this.

Submitted by ed on Mon, 2015-05-25 12:46.

Must be safety issues. A few years ago, a journalist had a major crash on Porsche's Weissach test track and they didn't let any journalists on the track again, until this year, when they let Chriss Harris drive on the track and he was allowed to turn everything off. Look up his video on youtube.

Submitted by Mike K. on Mon, 2015-05-25 15:13.

Yeah, I saw that video yesterday and it was the same track. Chris was going sideways and for sure had ESP off. Well, not everyone has the special treatment like Chris does ;) Anyway, amazing car by Porsche, every time new RS is presented I am already wondering what would be their next step and how much better the new generation can even get. Is there a limit somwhere !

Submitted by Ofir on Mon, 2015-05-25 17:15.

The 458 is long gone and the 488 is not naturally aspirated. Mclaren also doesnt offer anything similar so this car actually has no direct rivals. Perhaps its too early but clearly this one and the Cayman GT4 will be competing for performance car of the year in six months. Will the GT4 win by virtue of its manual box?

Submitted by retrogameplayes on Tue, 2015-05-26 21:45.

Top Gear recently reviewed this car and said the new electric steering ruined the steering of the car making it not even feel like a 911. Funny how you guys say it's better, but steering (and breaking) has always been a highlight of driving a Porsche and if that's been compromised at all I would have to say why change what's not broken?

Submitted by sp_gm on Fri, 2015-05-29 09:35.

And add to that value for money! I can't wait for mine to arrive...

Submitted by Sergio on Sat, 2015-05-30 05:56.

Nice color, lovely sound. I do not approve of Turbo holes in the sides though. For the road this car is overkill. Very fast, agile, yada yada yada this GT3RS is, no doubt. I'd much rather have the yellow or blue Cayman GT4.

Submitted by Sergio on Sat, 2015-05-30 06:00.

Or you lucky bastard, I envy you. What color did you get?My manual tuned 997T stands mostly in the garage these days. I love it, it is fast, loud and taught, but heavy and I feel it is overpowered. GT4 would be my choice...but my money goes into bikes these days, when I wring out that 600cc Honda engine I feel in heaven. More power is not always better...

Submitted by Sergio on Sat, 2015-05-30 06:01.

Any sane and real fanatic would choose GT4. I would. I think this is THE BEST sportscar in the world right now and for long time forward.

Submitted by Sergio on Sat, 2015-05-30 06:02.

From now on it will be mostly downhill. 4-bangers, turbos, robots, electronic everything.

Submitted by anonymous on Sat, 2015-05-30 08:12.

Porsche said they want to keep atmospheric flat-six for their hardcore GT line-ups, so no need to worry,

Submitted by sp_gm on Sat, 2015-05-30 15:16.

Guards Red! I agree, I went from a F80 M3 to a Cayman GTS and never looked back to be honest. While the Cayman feels like it could easily handle 50 - 100 more horsepower, the M3 felt overpowered and the rear tires never managed to handle the torque available. It didn't feel at home at the track. The GTS on the other hand is pure magic on track, and I can't wait to get the GT4!

Submitted by Ofir on Sat, 2015-05-30 19:35.

If the GT3 RS was manual, would that change anything for you guys?

Submitted by Sergio on Wed, 2015-06-03 10:44.

I would still buy GT4. Or 997.2 GT3.

Submitted by Sergio on Wed, 2015-06-03 10:45.

Congratulations! Enjoy as much as you possibly can!

Submitted by soundofvoid on Fri, 2015-06-05 17:26.

This car is a monster.I too love the purple!I only think they should mate it with dark wheels, dark metal parts and dark lights.A less aggresive rear wing (not so wide or with different endings) would be better IMHO.

The front wheel arches are setting it apart.Great job Porsche!

Submitted by Gareth Siew on Fri, 2015-07-17 04:26.

The 911 is and will ALWAYS be 6-pots, no more and no less

Submitted by Atom Bruce McKellar on Mon, 2015-07-27 15:26.

Was this video shot using the original engine in the car, the first replacement engine, or the second replacement engine? Porsche has recalled and replaced the engines in these GT3's twice now. Which is what you get when you try and cheat it and don't put in the actual motorsport engine and then pass it off as a GT3 so they could make a few bucks for their new VW corporate masters.

Submitted by jöööööö on Tue, 2015-07-28 13:35.

Porsche is free to do whatever they want with the GT3. It is bs to say they want to cut costs because the VWmother wants it. At the moment they develop a lot of own very expencife stuff, for example the Teslacompetitor. Because they don t have to do the basedevelopment for the SUVs anymore (Audi does) they have to time to do a lot of other things.